Part 1of 2: Thumbelina
My name is Thumbelina. I was born from a tulip, near a tiny cottage, on the outskirts of a
small village. I lived in Europe, in a beautiful country called Romania.
On June 21st, 1726, my dear mother found me lying on my flower, helpless and vulnerable. I was not an ordinary person, but a wingless fairy that stood exactly two and a half inches tall. A person of that size would come as freakish or demented to a normal person, but not to Mother. When she found me, she immediately recognized me as a rare tulip fairy. Although tulip fairies didn’t have wings like other fairies, we still possessed unique, magical qualities unlike the qualities of ordinary fairies. After a tulip fairy has proven herself brave, she earns her wings.
Mother took me home to her cottage not too far off from my meadow. It was a very beautiful; one story tall with several small windows, some of which were stained glass, and an extravagant, oak door with an intricate design that brought the whole house together beautifully. Thick vines infested with wildflowers of every color crawled up the walls of the porch. Besides its exquisite beauty, it was far too big for a person of my size, so Mother had to construct a bed for me from an old walnut shell and sew clothes for me out of long strips of fabric.
As far as the rules went, I could only go outside on weekdays during the summer. Mother watched over me as she did her daily chores and as she did, I enjoyed playing with the bunnies and teasing the cows. Mother said I was very hyper and that I needed to be careful when playing with the bigger animals because I could get bitten....or eaten. I didn’t understand why she was so protective of me; I was fast and brave enough to do what I wished. If only she understood me.

On a lovely summer night, after mother had tucked me in, I heard a strange flapping noise from my window. The noise sounded exactly like wings, but I wasn’t worried in the least bit because winged creatures were constantly flying past my window. The rays of moonlight coming from the starry skies above glistened through my stained glass window, mesmerizing me and lulling me into a light sleep.

Again, the flapping noise occurred, awakening me from my luxurious sleep. In the moonlight, I could barely make out the silhouette of a short figure, about my height. The shadow was tinted bright shades of green and blue. My curiosity drew me to the window. I peered around the corner and the shadow was gone. A light summer breeze danced around the corner and lifted a few tendrils of hair into the warm air. I stepped out into the cool night air, enjoying every second of the peaceful night. I saw a flash of light from around the corner and I cautiously followed it. And then I heard footsteps. Quiet, slow footsteps. Faster and faster the feet pitter pattered until a man leaped around the corner and bumped into me, causing me to nearly fall off the edge of the balcony. He quickly took my hand and helped me to my feet.

And then our eyes met and my knees weakened. I didn't recognize the thrill of adrenaline rushing through my veins. It wasn't the adrenaline that you get from falling or doing something dangerous, but it caused a sort of warm tingly feeling in my heart. Before me stood a young man, around the age of eighteen. He had a soft, round face with a nice complexion. His small, button nose complimented his thin lips well, and his striking, caramel brown eyes matched his dirty blond hair perfectly.
“I’m terribly sorry, miss,” he said in a soft, baritone voice.
“No, I’m sorry, my curiosity got the best of me,” I said, weakly.
“Nothing to worry about. My name is Cornelius, by the way.”
“I’m Thumbelina."
"Well it's a pleasure meeting you."
"That name…Cornelius…you're the fairy prince, aren’t you?!

“That would be correct. I am Cornelius of Romania, son of King Julius the 3rd and Queen Anne.”
“You must live a magnificent life! What is it like?”
“Well, to sum it up, my life is basically lived for me. Rules, rules, rules, and everything is decided for me. I have to get permission for everything I do and most of the time, the answer is no. What is it like being a commoner? I’ve always dreamed of flying free!”
“I’m stuck inside most of the time. You see, my mother is a human, and a very protective one, too. She doesn’t let me go where I wish or do what I want to do. I love her, but she doesn’t understand that I’m capable of more than she gives me credit for.”
“Exactly! I’m stuck inside the palace walls 24/7...and...I snuck out for the night to explore. They wouldn't let me explore on my own, so I snuck out. I’ve been more curious than ever lately. Would you like fly with me for a while, before I have to return?”
“I can’t.”
“Why not? You’re a fairy too, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but I’m a wingless fairy. I can’t fly.”
“I can carry you if you'd like.” I looked into the distance, unsure. I'd never been further than the meadow. Maybe a new adventure would be a good thing for me.
“Sure, why not?” I said.
Before I knew it, we were soaring through the brilliant night sky. I’d never seen the stars so close before. It looked as if I could almost reach out and touch them. Fireflies buzzed through the air, happily gliding through the clouds. We soared over a glimmering lake and skimmed the smooth water with our bare fingertips. It was icy to the touch and tickled the tips of my fingers. The frogs croaked a sweet lullaby for the fish beneath the water that lay peacefully in the wet sand. A wolf cried to the moon in the distance as a baby bird twittered in a nest above, unable to find sleep. The two of us talked and talked. The chilly wind rushed past my face and through my hair, my heart racing with excitement. And then I spotted a ray of light greeting me from behind the mountains, which were nothing more than a mere silhouette in the dim morning light. Cornelius flew me back to my window.
“Will we meet again?” I asked.
“Tomorrow at midnight. I’ll be here.”
“Goodbye, Cornelius.”
“Goodbye.” And he was gone.
I danced inside and lazily dressed in my favorite dress.
“Thumbelina? Who was that? I heard a man’s voice!”
“Uh..n-no one, mother, I am completely alone,” I said.
“If you say so,” she said, unsure. I ran into the kitchen and met mother at the table for breakfast. We were having my favorite. Quail eggs on wheat toast topped with a raspberry cream sauce. I barely touched my food. All I could think about was Cornelius. His face, his sparkling eyes, and his glorious wings!
That afternoon, I didn’t feel like playing with the bunnies or teasing the cows. I went to my meadow, layed on my lily all afternoon, and watched the clouds. I had decided that I was going to tell Cornelius how I felt about him.
That night, after mother had tucked me in, I put on my best night gown and brushed my long, golden hair. The silky locks tickled my ankles, so I braided it down my back and tossed it over my slender shoulder.
Midnight finally came and I rushed to my window, where I found him eagerly waiting for me.
“I have something really important to tell you!” exclaimed Cornelius. I didn’t think that what he had to say could possibly be more important than what I had to tell him, but I let him go first to be polite.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Thumbelina, I am getting married next week!” he exclaimed. At that very moment, my heart dropped like a stone. Everything that I was hoping and dreaming for slipped down the drain in that instance. I gasped.
“That is great! I am so happy for you, you’ll make a fantastic king,” I said, trying to be as enthusiastic as possible. I choked up and tried to keep the tears in.
“Oh, Thumbelina, you are such a kind friend!" He said, hugging me. I quickly mopped the tears away before he could see. He let go and took a step back.

"I was thinking…would you like to meet her? She would adore you!” he said.
“I would love to meet her,” I lied.
“Great! I’ll pick you up at noon tomorrow.”
“And I’ll be here,” I sighed.
Without another word, I climbed back through my window and went to bed. That night, I cried myself to sleep.
The next morning, I ate very little and barely thought about anything. At noon, I dragged myself to the window and unwillingly sat and waited for Cornelius. He arrived almost as soon as I sat down and he wore a wide grin.
The flight to the castle was fairly short. Below, I saw thousands of trees of every kind and hundreds of green, rolling hills. It was incredible.
When we arrived, he gently set me down on the ground and led me into the castle. I’d never seen anything more extravagant in my entire life. He lead me through guest rooms and ballrooms, up grand staircases made of marble, down endless halls and past bedrooms until we came to the most grand room. It was enormous with a crystal chandelier, floors of marble, velvet chairs lining the walls, and two chairs of gold at the end of the room. The chair to the right was for the king, and the one on the left was occupied by none other than Princess Isabel, Cornelius’s bride-to-be.
Isabel was gorgeous. She had rosy cheeks, big blue eyes, full, pink lips, and long, flawless, raven-black hair. A silver crown lay atop her perfect hair and sparkled, illuminating the glorious room.
“Isabel, this is my dear friend, Thumbelina. Thumbelina, this is my beautiful fiancée, Princess Isabel,” he said.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, your highness,” I lied, bowing ever so slightly.

“It’s nice to meet you too. Cornelius adores you, he hasn't been able to stop talking about you,” said Isabel.
“She is quite the charm,” said Cornelius.
“I’m sure she is,” she smiled. In that smile was something terrifying, something I had just realized about Isabel. Her face and her conversation signified that she liked me, but there was something about her eyes that was piercing. They penetrated through me, as if she could tell I was in love with Cornelius, and she wasn’t going to let me steal him away from her.
“How are the wedding preparations going, darling?” she asked, doing her best not to break eye contact with me.
“Oh, just perfect,” he said, giddily. At that moment, I could tell that Cornelius truly loved Isabel. My eyes filled with tears as I realized that there was no way we could ever be together. I looked away and sobbed. I ran from the room, stumbling as I went.
“Thumbelina!!! Where on earth are you going?!” cried Cornelius.
I fled the castle, ignoring Cornelius, and decided that I was nothing more than a misfit in such a big world. Cornelius didn’t love me. He never did and he was never going to. I was going to run away forever.

I ran through the woods, not having a specific destination in mind. Tears slickened my face as I sprinted through the woods. Twilight neared, but I didn't care. I wanted to get as far away from everybody as possible.

I ran past plants of every sort, over rickety bridges, and through damp caves.
Night was drawing near and I was now hopelessly lost in the shadowy woods. I found a tall maple tree and settled down underneath a giant leaf. Tears rolled down my cheeks as a cool breeze chilled me to the marrow of my bones. My heart ached worse than it ever had before, as if it would break in two at any second.
At dawn I was awoken by a strong gust of wind that swept up my leaf, carrying it away into the distance. I shivered in my lightweight dress and began to scavenge for breakfast. My stomach growled uncomfortably and a single tear escaped my tiny eye. “I should never have run away,” I thought to myself. My bare feet were beginning to hurt as they crunched the twigs beneath. A silent, graceful butterfly fluttered past.
As I scavenged for food of any kind, a grunt and a snort broke the silence. I nervously looked every which way to try to figure out what the source of the eerie noise was. Heart beating frantically, I looked up to find a giant, green ogre staring down at me. I screamed and began running. I felt the vibration of another pair of feet following behind and I tripped over a rock. A big, meaty hand grabbed me. I frantically tried to escape, but his firm grasp was impossible to break. I pounded and beat his filthy hand; doing everything I could to escape his iron hold.
“Ouch! Stop it!” roared the ogre. This made me panic even more and I continued to flail my scrawny limbs. I finally gave up.
“You don’t look like you’re from around here. I’m sure I can help you get back to where you came from. Just trust me, I’m not as ferocious as I look,” he said. His giant, silvery eyes looked kind and sad, as if he didn’t have a friend, but wanted one desperately.
“All right,” I panted, “if you promise not to eat me." I looked up at him, frantic and wide-eyed.
“I’m not going to eat you,” snapped the ogre. I flinched and tensed up. His voice softened. “I won’t. I promise.”
“Okay. I trust you,” I said quietly. The ogre’s eyes widened and he beamed like a little boy on Christmas morning.
“If you want, I’m cooking rabbit stew at home,” he smiled. His teeth looked awful as if he didn’t know what a toothbrush was and his breath smelled rancid, like rotting meat.
“Thank you! I am starving!” I said.
“My name is Harold, by the way,” he grinned.
“I’m Thumbelina,” I said. A feeling of relief washed over me. I was going home.
We continued along the leafy path until we reached a large hut. It was tangled in overgrown vines and strewn with litter from the forest floor.
Inside was warm and cozy. A gigantic bed lay on the other side of the hut. Shelves of photographs, vases, seashells, and hundreds of other nick-knacks decorated the stony walls. A large beetle marched up a wall. Rugs made of animal skins lay strewn across the floor in an unorganized manner, and a large stove stood against the front wall. A pot of delicious smelling rabbit stew was simmering on top.
"This is it," said Harold, walking toward the stove, "not very fancy, but good enough for me."
"I think it's great. It's so warm and inviting." Harold only smiled. He picked up a spoon and stirred the stew. The hunks of rabbit meat bobbed up and down in the pot. Harold ladled a pool of stew into two wooden bowls and passed one to me.
“Eat up,” he said.
I had to use my entire face to eat because of the largeness of the chunks of meat. Despite the size, it was delicious. The gravy was rich and salty and the rabbit was succulent and juicy. The peas and potato brought the whole thing together perfectly. I ate vigorously until there wasn’t a drop of food left in my bowl. After cleaning myself off with a giant handkerchief, we were off into the woods.
“Where would you like me to take you? I know these woods better than anyone,” said Harold.
“If you drop me off at the castle, I’m sure I can find the rest of the way myself,” I said.
“No problem,” he said. And we were off.
I hadn’t looked around the forest much since I had been so miserable, and I was just realizing how beautiful it was. The sun glittered like a jewel in the sapphire sky. The flourishing trees of springtime swayed in the gentle breeze. I closed my eyes and let the wind blow through my delicate hair. I wondered if Cornelius was thinking about me. Most likely not.
“How did a smart little fairy like you get lost in these woods?” asked the ogre.
“Oh, um...that’s a long story,” I said, tears forming in my eyes.
“We’ve got plenty of time,” he said. I cleared my throat.
“It all started a couple of days ago when something caught my attention outside my bedroom window. So I went to investigate.” I continued on with my story, explaining every little detail. Harold listened intently the whole time.
“I’m......sorry,” whispered Harold.
“It sounds like you understand,” I said, “has anything like that ever happened to you?” Harold started to sniffle and tears followed.
“Yes,” he croaked, “I was once in love. Her name was Helen. She was the most beautiful ogre in the entire forest and we were best friends. I loved her more than life itself. After I was certain she loved me as much as I loved her, I made a diamond ring that sparkled just as beautifully as her eyes. I was going to ask her to marry me, but one night, she disappeared and never came back. Search parties were sent, but she was never found. To this day, I keep our ring close to my heart for good luck and a reminder of our love.”
Harold reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out the ring. It was beautifully crafted and sparkled brighter than the sun. The tears kept coming and coming. Each tear sparkled in the sun, fell like a gleaming waterfall, and splattered on the surface of the ring. His face was full of grief and despair, as if he felt he would never be happy again. I stayed silent and cried with him. He hiccuped and sighed and the tears finally stopped. He put the ring back in his pocket.
"Sometimes I dream that I'm walking in the woods, and she appears out of nowhere. Every day, I hope for her to return and every night, I wish on the first star I see in the sky for that dream to come true. I know she's not coming back, but it gives me something to wish for," he said. A blue jay sung a gloomy song in the treetops.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered. After hearing his story, mine sounded like nothing. He really did have a true love. Someone he truly loved and was willing to die for.
We walked the rest of the way to the castle in silence.
“Here we are,” he said, as he gently set me down in the dirt.
“Thank you, Harold. You were so kind to me,” I said.
“You are so welcome,” he said, “and good luck.” Without another word, Harold turned and trudged away back into the dark woods.
As I began my journey home, I gazed up into the azure sky. It was suddenly being invaded by big, black storm clouds, which meant rain. I found an ancient sugar maple and made a little bed using twigs and leaves under an arched root. I snuggled into my nice bed and cried myself to sleep. Life had never been more difficult.
When I woke up, evening had come and the rain had gone. A pool of chilly water had formed beneath me, and I was soaked. I emerged from my damp resting place and stretched. A creepy voice froze me with fear.
“Finally! After years of searching we’ve found one!!!!” cried the shrill voice.
“Would you shut it? She’ll hear us!” exclaimed another voice. Before I could escape, an old, withered hand caught me and threw me in a stuffy jar that smelled as if it had once stored pickles. A thin, green mist engulfed me and I coughed and wheezed until I eventually passed out.
I woke up in what I recognized as the castle dungeon from my book, A History of Fairy Royalty. It was dimly lit and made from big bricks of stone. Innocent animals lay lifeless in jars similar to mine on neighboring tables. Potion books, biology books, history books, books of all types littered the stony floor. A cauldron sat in the center of the room, foaming and bubbling. A foot bobbed to the top of the pot and then disappeared beneath the green mist. I shivered and tried to erase the horrifying memory from my mind.
“She’s awake!!!” Shrieked the first voice. I looked up at the speaker. It was a short, tattered woman with a hunched back, baggy, yellow skin, and short, bright red, frizzy hair. The second person was another old woman, this one with curly, raven black hair that reached her lower back, gray skin, and a warty face. They were both painfully hideous.
“You’re going to live with us now, sweetie,” said the black haired one in a sickly sweet tone.
“Yah, and she’s going to-”
“Margaret, hush!” Interrupted the black haired one.
“Sorry, Vanessa, I didn’t know you weren’t going to tell her first!” Said Margaret.
“What are you going to do to me?” I whimpered.
“Oh, nothing. You’re going to live with us from now on and be our little pet!” Said Vanessa in a gravely voice. A fly circled Margaret’s head and landed on her nose. She swept it up and popped it in her mouth, like it was a piece of candy. A wing hung from her lower lip and twitched.
“But I want to go home!” I demanded.
“Don’t be silly, this is your home!” yelled Vanessa. I could tell she was becoming irritated with me so I quieted down.
"Do you think I could have something to eat?" I asked.
Without a word, Vanessa left the room and came back with a piece of bread smothered in sweet raspberry preserves. She kept me locked up in the smelly, old jar. The bread was still warm and the jam so sticky. It reminded me of mother and her incredible breads and jams. She made them all the time on summer afternoons. The sweet memories flooded my mind and I could almost smell her farm and the kitchen. I lost my appetite as tears welled up in my twinkling eyes.
Vanessa interrupted my thoughts with an offer to sing me a lullaby. I politely declined, but she sang anyway. Although her voice was raspy and old, her singing was velvety and mesmerizing. I didn’t pay attention to the lyrics because the melody was so incredible. She sang extremely high notes that I didn’t think were possible to hit, but she made them crystal clear. Her low notes were rich and full, and she made the whole song sound so smooth and delicate, like a fresh spring lily flower.
When the song ended, I realized that I had become very weak. It was difficult to even lift my arm. And then it clicked; that wasn’t any ordinary lullaby. Vanessa was clearly a witch and was leeching my powers from me through a spell. I needed to escape, and that had become very clear at that point.
I peered around the room, studying my surroundings. Across the room, I spotted a beautiful little fairy my size in a jar exactly like mine. I examined her pale features...she wasn’t moving… or blinking. My heart raced. What have they done to her? I thought to myself, what kind of disgusting place is this?! I silently wept for the poor fairy. I had to escape tonight.
I began devising a plan in my head as soon as the lights went out at midnight. I looked around and thought about the situation. Since the jar was made of glass, it was obviously breakable. I was on a high table, so my only option would be to break the jar by thrusting myself off of the table and onto the floor, and then I would run as fast as possible.
My favorite book had been about fairies because I had always been curious to learn about myself. I had read it at least ten times. In the book, it had said that blackberries were the cure to a witches spell, and coincidentally, there were at least a hundred blackberry bushes outside the dungeon walls. I would hide in a blackberry bush and feast until the crack of dawn when I would run home to mother! The plan had to work!
After I was sure Vanessa and Margaret were asleep, I pushed my way across the wooden tabletop. When I reached the edge, I gave one last, hard push. My heart dropped as I sped toward the ground, faster than lightning. The jar hit the stone floor and it shattered into a million pieces.
The small shards pierced my skin. Hot, crimson liquid streamed down my slender arm. My heart beat faster and faster. I heard voices in the other room and a light flickered on. It was hard to move, as if I was glued to the floor. The fact that I could be imprisoned for the rest of my life if I didn’t hurry motivated me. I thought of mother as I lifted my arm from a pool of hot blood. I was finally able to get on my feet and begin walking. I dragged my feet as fast as they would go, but I felt as if I was trapped in one of those dreams, where you’re in terrible danger, but you can’t seem to move fast enough. I sped up to a jog. The gate looked like it was a thousand miles away, like each step got me nowhere.
Loud, thumping footsteps were coming nearer and nearer and nearer, drawing closer by the millisecond. I felt the hot breath of another human on my neck, felt a pair of crazed eyes piercing through my soul. And then a hand grabbed me. I had been so close to the gate, I could feel the cool breeze against my clammy skin.
“Where do you think you’re going?!” yelled Vanessa. It was my fault I was so far from home, but I was not going to let a stupid, ugly witch keep me from my precious mother. I bit her hand with all of the remaining energy I had, releasing all of my frustration and anger on her. I sunk my teeth in so deep, the bottom and top row of teeth met. She cried in pain and vigorously shook me off. I shriveled up on the cold, stony floor, after slapping face-down on the rock and every inch of my body was frozen, throbbing in incredible pain. I felt something splatter on my head, hot and wet. It was Vanessa’s blood, dripping from her hand. She shrieked and jumped up and down like a kangaroo with rabies.
I dragged myself away from her while I still had the chance. At that point, I thought I had lost almost all hope, but I pressed forward, even though I could barely move.
The gate was so close, yet too far. I dragged myself along, not looking back for fear that Vanessa would come charging. She was still whimpering from what I was hearing. And then my skin came in contact with a metal bar. I had come to the gate! I slipped between two bulky bars, and out into the cool night air.
My arm was probably broken, because it was very swollen and turning purple. I had never, in my eighteen years of life, broken a bone. There was nothing like it. The sharp, excruciating stabs of pain shot through my arm from time to time, forcing cries of pain from me. I forced myself through the dirt and underneath the nearest blackberry bush, where I was finally, finally safe. I sat and carefully picked the shards of glass from my delicate skin and wiped away the crusting blood.
The dungeon gate creaked open and a furious Vanessa came bustling out, angrier than an annoyed hippopotamus. She stormed about, searching for me, massaging her deep wound. It was a funny sight. She looked ridiculous, and I couldn’t help but giggle to myself.
After a half an hour of searching and searching, Vanessa finally gave up, threw a tantrum, and stormed back inside the musty dungeon.
I lay on my back and stared up at the beautiful night sky, full of glittering stars, and a gorgeous moon, while I feasted on ripe berries. They were triple the size of my pea-sized head. I stuck my face in the biggest berry I could find and began sucking down the sweet juices. It trickled down my bony neck and added to the bloody mess on my clothing.
When I was positive that I couldn’t hold another drop of juice, I lied back down on the hard earth, and let the cold sooth my wounds. I dozed off into a deep sleep, feeling safe once more.
I woke up at the crack of dawn, feeling energized. My arm was worse. It had turned purple and blue. The swelling had certainly gone down, but the pain had definitely worsened. I crept from my bush and leaped into the warm, fresh air.
At that moment, something absolutely sensational happened; the wind picked up, blowing colorful leaves in every direction, whipping my hair furiously in the breeze. The skin of my back tingled and soon became painful, until the skin split. Something new was growing from my back. I stared behind me, confused, yet amazed at the sight that I beheld. I was completely awestruck, and slightly confused. I couldn't believe what I saw. And what I saw couldn't be real. A sparkling pair of wings had sprouted. They were slightly transparent, and when the light hit them just right, they sent rays of blue and magenta in every direction. They were dazzling. For a minute, I just stroked my wings and stared at them in amazement. I had done it. I had escaped the witches and had gotten out alive. I had proven myself brave.
I tried to flutter my wings. It was still sore where the skin had split, but it was bearable. I fluttered harder and harder, with all of my energy, until the earth disappeared from beneath my feet. I practiced hard for a long time, and was finally able to stay in one fixed position without falling or moving another way. Then I tried some maneuvers and twists. It was much more fun than it looked. I mastered turns, maneuvers, spins, twists, and just flying in general, not fast, but at a good speed.
I flew way up into the clouds and gazed beneath me. I saw my house and flew in that direction. I spun, dove, twisted, turned, and danced with the billows of wind, and eventually returned home.
My heart felt as if it was going to explode with excitement. I couldn't wait to show mother my wings, she was going to be so proud! I flew through the kitchen window of my cottage so fast I almost crashed into the window frame.
“Mother!” I called, “Mother, I’m home! You won’t believe what happened to me! Come and see!!!” There was no answer.
“Mother, are you here?!” I called. I looked around the cottage, but she was nowhere to be found. She was probably searching for me in the village, so that’s where I went next. I had never been there before. That’s when I realized I was a complete and total mess.
I rushed to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. I almost screamed. I didn’t look like myself at all; my hair was tattered and matted with dirt, my face was smeared with mud and food, and my clothes were torn. I was coated in dry blood from head to toe. My arm was purple and black and it hurt worst of all, and on top of that, I had cuts and bruises everywhere. I smelled awful, like wild animals, blood, and pickles. I could easily be mistaken for a mouse at the zoo, I thought, grimacing at myself.
I took a bath and scrubbed the dirt and blood from my skin and hair, being careful not to further injure my broken arm. I put on a fresh dress, brushed my teeth, and combed my hair. Finally, I flew out the window and in the direction of the village.
As I neared the village, wonderful smells filled my nostrils. I smelled a bakery and a flower shop. Exciting music filled my ears, and I danced with the rhythm. I flew up high into the sky to try and find her. Down below, I spotted another fairy, and swooped down to meet them.
“Excuse me,” I said, “have you seen a woman by the name of Mary?” I asked. This particular fairy was male. He had red hair and big, blue eyes. He was very muscular and only a few inches taller than me. His warm face looked like it was built to smile.
“Actually, yes, not too long ago. She asked me if I had seen a fairy by the name of Thumbelina. Would that be you?” he asked.
“Yes! That was her!” I laughed.
“Come on, I’ll help you find her, she went this way. She seemed very upset. Are you lost?” he said, leading me in the direction of a book store.
“No, but I was. I ran away,” I said, shyly.
“Why did you run away?” he said, maneuvering through a crowd of big humans, "I know I shouldn't be asking that question, but I'm very curious."
“Well, the man I fell in love with got engaged, and this particular man happened to be the prince. I was so upset, that I felt I would never be happy again. So I ran away." I said.
“The prince?” he asked.
“Yes, Prince Cornelius. What about him?” I asked.
“The prince is my half brother.”
“Oh!! Do you live at the castle with him?”
“I could if I wanted to, but castle life is so dull. I live by myself,” he explained, “by the way, my name is Stanback. You can call me Stan.”
“Well it’s been a pleasure meeting you, Stan.”
I spotted mother in the distance and sped toward her as fast as I could and hugged her finger.
“Mother! So much has happened! I’m so sorry I ran away!!” I cried.
“Thumbelina?!! Thumbelina!!! It’s you! It’s really you! You have wings!! What happened? Where did you go?! Thumbelina!” She cried.
“Mother, I’m fine! I’ll explain everything at home!” I said. I turned to Stan again.
“Thank you so much for helping me!” I said.
“My pleasure,” he smiled.
“I guess I’ll see you later?” I said.
“Definitely. You are a very sweet girl, Thumbelina. Farewell,” he smiled.
“Goodbye,” I said.
Mother and I went home and ate a delicious bowl of hot soup while I explain the events of the past few days. She listened intently the entire time.
“My goodness, I had no idea you were so brave! I am ashamed of you for running away, though I suppose you’ve learned your lesson. I’m just so happy you’re okay!” she exclaimed.
That night, Mother bandaged my broken arm and read me my favorite fairytale in my warm, comfortable bed that I had never been more grateful for. I had never realized how lucky I was to have such a remarkable mother. I was the luckiest girl alive and life was finally back to normal.

Part 2of 2: Harold and Helen
I sat on my chair and thought. Ever since that little fairy...what was the name? Humbelthina? No, Sumbelstina? No. Oh, yes, Thumbelina, that was it. I had told her the story of my sweet Helen, and ever since, I couldn't stop thinking about her. Was she dead yet? Of course, she had to be! It had been ten, nearly eleven years since her disappearance. But what if she was still alive? Ugh! She was gone and that was that. Gone, never to return. It felt as if time had stopped dead in its tracks. But time had to go on, even without her. I had to find a way to get her out of my mind. If I didn't, how was life ever going to continue happily? I needed to forget about her, one way or another.
I got up from the chair and started a pleasant little fire in the fireplace. A photograph on the top shelf caught my attention, and I picked it up to further examine it. I hadn’t looked at it in over seven years. I wiped away all the dust. It was a picture of me and Helen as teenagers. Great! What a perfect way to get her off my mind! Fresh memories! The tears came again and I bawled this time. How happy we looked. We were perfect for each other. That was it; I had to leave the house and stay out until she was gone from my mind.
I ran from the hut, beginning to settle down. I curled up next to a tall tree, facing the green hills. I let the tears escape and did everything I could to erase her from my mind. Nothing was working. Nothing. So this was how life was going to be from now on? Depressing and lonely? A voice from behind made my heart stop for two beats. I slowly turned.
“Excuse me sir, could you help me find-” the woman ogre stopped speaking as soon as her eyes met Harold’s. Could it be?!
“Helen? Is that you?” I asked, reaching out to touch the flawless face. I was afraid that if I touched her face, she would disappear, like she nothing but a figure of my imagination.
“Harold! It’s you! It’s really you!!” she cried. She leaned forward and embraced me. It was really her. I hugged her tighter than I ever had before, for fear that she would disappear again if I ever let go.
"I will never let you go again," I whispered.
I led her inside my cottage and sat her down on a soft chair with a warm blanket.
“Where did you disappear to all those years ago?” I asked. Helen’s face went cold and she began her story:
“Ten years ago, a gang of monstrous creatures of the woods kidnapped me and took me to a dark, dark cave in Ukraine. Every day, they threatened to kill me, but never did, until that terrifying winter night. I only pretended to go to sleep because this time, the threat seemed very real. One of the men picked me up in the middle of the night and took me to a stone alter. I fought them and almost died in the act, but after ten lonely years, I finally escaped into the cold winter night. It took me several months to make my way back to Romania, but I made it. And now I'm safe and none of it matters anymore because we’re finally together again.” she said.
“Helen. You are the most brave, beautiful, valiant, strong, optimistic ogre I have ever had the pleasure of knowing!!” I said. Helen smiled so brightly, she lit up the room. I walked over to her and hugged her again. And then I remember what was in my pocket. I reached in, pulled it out, got down on my knee, and popped the question that I had wanted so desperately to ask her for ten years.
“Yes!!!!!!” She cried, “You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to hear that for so long!” I laughed in relief and hugged her once more.

Epilogue
As winter drew closer, the days grew shorter and colder. Thumbelina and Stan became great friends; in fact, Stan was quite fond of Thumbelina. The next summer, they were married and moved into a tiny cottage by a meadow.
Helen and Harold were married, and moved into a nice cottage, just next door to Thumbelina and Stan. Harold and Helen became Thumbelina and Stan’s gardeners. They took care of the flowers in the meadow.
Isabel and Cornelius never got married because Cornelius discovered her evil side...the extremely sociopathic side that wanted to kill Thumbelina and every other person who disagreed with her opinion. Cornelius later fell in love with a sweet fairy named Rheanna. They were married and became excellent rulers of the kingdom. Cornelius and Thumbelina remained great friends and Rheanna and Thumbelina became wonderful friends.
No one really knows what happened to the witches, but it is said that they flew to Russia in search of the rare snow fairy, which is supposedly the most powerful fairy in the world. They ended up freezing to death one night after getting hopelessly lost in the woods.
Mary, Thumbelina’s mother, became an elementary school teacher and a wonderful grandmother to Thumbelina’s daughter, Belle.

They all lived happily ever after!!